Man charged after pipe bomb found in car outside East Harlem police precinct
EAST HARLEM, Manhattan (WABC) -- A man faces a slew of charges after police found a pipe bomb inside of a car outside an East Harlem police precinct.
Chontrell Wrenick, 50, is facing at least five charges, including assault and multiple counts of criminal possession of a weapon.
Authorities say a domestic dispute between cousins ended with a "potentially viable improvised explosive device" discovered in a car outside the 25th precinct.
The 50-year-old East Harlem man accused in the bomb scare threatened to blow up his cousin, according to a criminal complaint.
"I'm going to take us both out," Chontrell Wrenick said, according to the criminal complaint.
Prosecutors said Wrenick's conduct "had the potential to harm several innocent civilians."
The judge ordered Wrenick held on $75,000 bail.
"It was fairly large, it's not small. If it was able to function as designed, it was capable of causing death or serious physical injury to anyone in proximity and property damage," said Lt. Mark Torre, Bomb Squad Commanding officer.
Police said two men pulled up to the Precinct at around 11:50 a.m. Wednesday morning.
The driver claimed he was the victim of a domestic assault by a passenger, armed with a machete.
Police recovered the machete and took Wrenick into custody.
The victim told police there was an explosive device in the car, which they then recovered.
Police were unable to say if it was functional, calling it a "potentially viable improvised explosive device," and was taken by the bomb squad to be examined.
Both men have criminal records with about 10 to 20 prior arrests each.
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